Total births
1,527
Boys' name · since 1908
Walden
Walden has 1,527 recorded births since 1908 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2023 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3169
- among boys today
- 1,527
- born since 1908
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 78%
- more common than other boys
1,527 babies have been named Walden since 1908, making it today's #3169 boys' name.
Walden has 1,527 recorded births among boys since 1908, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3169 as of the latest data, more common than 78% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1908 to 2025.
- #3169 among boys today
- 1,527 born since 1908
- 2010s peak decade
- 78% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Walden is currently the #3169 boys' name in America, more common than 78% of boys - 1,527 born since 1908, peaking in the 2010s.
- #3169
- among boys today
- 1,527
- born since 1908
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 78%
- more common than other boys
Walden vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3169
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 78% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Walden was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
55 babies were named Walden in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Walden compares
1,527 Top 24% higher than 76% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Walden's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Walden | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,527 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 55 | 23 | 22,252 |
Walden's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Walden splits its recorded history at 1962: 56% of all births land in the more recent half, 44% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1908 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2023 peak of 55 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Walden at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#3,169
Active since
1908
Walden popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1908–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 55
- Annual births at peak, across 118 years of records
Walden by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Walden's strongest decade.
350 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Walden births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 107
1910s
107 births
- 1920s
1920s
183 births
- 1930s 136
1930s
136 births
- 1940s 116
1940s
116 births
- 1950s 113
1950s
113 births
- 1960s 77
1960s
77 births
- 1970s 56
1970s
56 births
- 1980s 42
1980s
42 births
- 1990s 18
1990s
18 births
- 2000s 83
2000s
83 births
- 2010s
2010s
350 births
- 2020s
2020s
241 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 350 births (23% of all-time use).
How Walden compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Walden's total volume
Walden vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Walden by state
Where Walden concentrates geographically, total births since 1908
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 39 | 2.6% |
| #2 | New York | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #4 | Kentucky | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Colorado | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 6 | 0.4% |
California share of Walden's total US births 2.6%
Even split
39 of 1,527 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Walden? ▼
Walden has been given to 1,527 babies in the U.S. since 1908, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3169 as of the latest data. 55 babies were born in 2023, its single highest year.
When was Walden most popular? ▼
Walden was most popular in the 2010s decade with 350 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Walden most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Walden are California (39 births), New York (11 births), Pennsylvania (11 births).
How long has the name Walden been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Walden since 1908 -- 118 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Walden? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Walter, Wallace, Walker, Walton, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Walden's data
- Walden's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (350 total births) through the 2020s (241) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Waldens (39 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Walden
Nearby Names Like Walden
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Walden
Walter Boy
#271 631,172 births
Wallace Boy
#983 83,263 births
Walker Boy
#82 47,914 births
Walton Boy
#3275 5,889 births
Waldo Boy
5,716 births
Compare Walden side by side: Walden vs Walter Walden vs Wallace Walden vs Walker
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Walden
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1908–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Walden: #3169 Boys' Name - 1,527 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/walden. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Walden draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.